Fiat's new Topolino might be the cutest new car of 2023 trends now
The award for 2023's cutest car looks almost certain to go to Fiat with the unveiling of its latest model - and it will also relaunch one of the brand's most iconic nameplates from decades ago.
Topolino, a badge not seen on a new Fiat for almost 70 years, will officially return on a new all-electric vehicle.
Reborn as a doorless retro quadricycle with only two seats, it will go toe-to-toe with Citroen's Ami as a city-only machine aimed predominantly at young drivers with - and without - a full licence.
However, Britons wanting to get their hands on one will be left disappointed... as it's not expected to be sold in the UK.
Is this the cutest new car of 2023? The Fiat Topolino is a two-seat electric quadricycle aimed at younger people who want a sustainable mode of transport to get around the city
Fiat has already electrified its 500 as part of its plans to switch exclusively to battery power before the end of the decade.
In fact, it is only producing the new version of the popular city car (as well as the hotter Abarth 500) with a zero-emission drivetrain as part of the company's efforts to electrify its entire model range in Europe by 2027.
The return of the Topolino (which translates to 'baby mouse') will be the Italian brand's second EV and is a smaller option to the 500.
However, it's technically not a car.
Like the Citroen it goes up against, it instead qualifies as a 'light quadricycle'.
That means it has a very limited top speed and drivers as young as 16 with only an 'AM' moped licence could - in theory - legally drive one on UK roads.
In other countries such as France, the minimum age to get behind the wheel of this category of vehicle is even younger.
This is because light quadricycles qualify as 'sans permis' vehicles across the Channel, meaning you don't need a licence at all - just a basic road safety certificate that can be acquired by teens as young as 14.
Fiat bosses hope its funky design will 'encapsulate the coolness' of the classic 500 to kick-start demand.
The car Fiat unveiled to announce the model's return even echoes the original, featuring the same teal colour available when the first 'Cinquecento' hit showrooms in 1957 as the replacement for the Topolino, which paved the way for the 500's 19-year production run between 1936 and 1955.
Other features of the new model also hark back to the beach-ready Jolly variant of the iconic 500. This includes a brown cloth retractable roof, cream leather interior, striped dashboard topper, chrome-surround oval lamps and the absence of doors.
In their place is a thick rope that hooks across the doorframe, although it will provide little in terms of
